Triathlons are challenging multi disciplinary fitness events, that combine swimming running and cycling.
If you are currently training for a triathlon event, whether it’s your first or your fifth, you’ll probably want to know common triathlon distances and what a good average time is to complete a triathlon.
What are triathlon distances?
There are five distances for triathlon that are recognised as standard, meaning that for each one there will be a different average time;
- Super Sprint Triathlon
- Sprint Triathlon
- Olympic Triathlon
- Half Ironman
- Ironman
Pinning down an average time for a triathlon distance is not an exact science, as there are many affecting factors such as the course terrain as well as the age and gender of those competing.
We give you a rough idea of the good average times for each distance in our triathlon time articles detailed below.
How long is a super sprint triathlon?
For your first race, focus on getting over the finish line rather than your time. A training plan that incorporates 5-6 combined hours of swimming, running and cycling per week will help you build up your fitness and prepare for your sprint.
If you’re considering taking on a triathlon, you may have already done a little research about the three disciplines that make up a triathlon – swimming, cycling and running.
The next step will be deciding which triathlon distance is the right challenge for you.
As we’ve mentioned in our other article about triathlons, events are typically divided into age groups.
This means that you will be competing alongside other triathletes who fall into the same band for age and sex as you, with the exception of triathletes who fall into the separate elite category.
If you’re just dipping your toes into the world of triathlons, a super sprint distance is a great place to start, being the shortest of the 5 recognised triathlon distances.
So exactly how far do you need to be able to swim, cycle and run to complete your first super sprint? We’ve broken down all the information you need to know:
Going the Super sprint distance
As we’ve already mentioned, the super sprint triathlon is the shortest of the different triathlon events.
The course will be challenging for a beginner but is short enough that easing into the training won’t be an overwhelming experience.
The distances for each part of a super sprint triathlon are broken down as:
- Swimming – 400m (0.25 miles)
- Cycling – 10km (6.2 miles)
- Running – 2.5km (1.5 miles)
Of course, if you’re looking for more of a challenge than a super sprint, you might want to try a sprint distance event instead. Found out more about the next level up in triathlons here.
What is the average time for a super sprint triathlon?
For age group competitors, any time between 45 minutes and an hour is considered a good average time for a super sprint distance.
As the race is relatively short it is suitable for athletes of all experience levels, and a great way for beginners to get used to the sport and get the practice of changing between the different sports in the race.
How long is a sprint triathlon?
Are you thinking of taking the plunge (quite literally) into completing your first triathlon?
You may already know some of the basics about triathlons, for instance, that the race is made up of 3 disciplines, swimming, cycling and running, but did you know that there are also a number of recognised race distances for these events?
Regardless of the triathlon distance, events are typically divided into age groups. This means that you will be competing alongside other triathletes who fall into the same band for age and sex as you, with the exception of triathletes who fall into the separate elite category.
As the second shortest triathlon distance, behind the super sprint, the sprint distance is still fairly accessible to beginners but enjoyed by triathletes of all abilities.
Exactly how long is a sprint distance triathlon?
The sprint triathlon is the second shortest distance on our list, but at some events will be the shortest option available.
A sprint triathlon offers a further challenge and steps up from the super sprint distance but remains accessible to aspiring triathletes.
To get your first sprint triathlon under your belt you will need to complete the following:
- Swimming – 750m (0.5 miles)
- Cycling – 20km (12.3 miles)
- Running – 5km (3.1 miles)
What is the average time for a sprint triathlon?
For age group category competitors, a time of around 1 hour 30 minutes is a good goal to have in mind if you are hoping to achieve a good average time.
For elite triathletes, a time around the one hour mark could see you win the event!
How long is an Olympic distance triathlon?
For those unfamiliar with the different triathlon distances, the word ‘Olympic’ might conjure up thoughts of professional athletes and rigorous training schedules, however, the Olympic triathlon is actually considered to be the ‘standard’ distance for a triathlon.
As is the case with all of the recognised triathlon distances, events are divided into age groups.
This means that you will be competing alongside other triathletes who fall into the same band for age and sex as you, with the exception of triathletes who fall into the separate elite category.
If you’ve already started getting to grips with triathlons, an Olympic distance race is the ideal next challenge after completing a sprint, with all of the distances for the swimming, cycling and running legs of the race essentially doubled for the Olympic distance.
How far do you need to swim, cycle and run in an Olympic triathlon?
With the Olympic triathlon distance being double that of a sprint, a tougher training plan will be required to increase your fitness level and endurance so you can complete the swim, bike ride and run. Here are the distances you’ll need to cover:
- Swimming – 1.5km (0.9 miles)
- Cycling – 40km (24.8 miles)
- Running – 10k (6.2 miles)
As we’ve mentioned, for those who have completed a sprint triathlon already, the Olympic triathlon is probably going to be your next challenge.
It’s by no means an easy race and you may face competition from triathletes who are working their way up to an Ironman or half Ironman race, so don’t feel discouraged if you can’t keep up with everyone on race day!
You’re sure to feel a great sense of accomplishment once you’ve crossed the finish line regardless of your time.
What is the average time for an Olympic triathlon?
If you are a beginner you may want to just focus on completing the race, however, if you do want to aim for a good time, under 3 hours is a very respectable result for a non-professional.
Even if you have done a few races before, you should still train before taking part in an event to avoid any injuries.
How long is a Half or Middle Ironman triathlon?
So, you’ve read up on and maybe even taken part in a triathlon or two, but did you know that there are actually 5 different race distances that are recognised in the world of triathlons?
The different race lengths range from the super sprint, the shortest at just under 14km, to the full Ironman at just over 226km!
As you may have guessed from the title a Half, or Middle, Ironman comes in at half of the total distance of a full Ironman
Triathlon races are divided into age groups. This means that you will be competing alongside other triathletes who fall into the same band for age and sex as you, with the exception of triathletes who fall into the separate elite category.
If you’ve completed an Olympic triathlon already and are thinking of taking the next steps to complete an Ironman, a Half Ironman is the perfect in between challenge to help keep you focused on increasing your fitness levels and training intensity.
How far do you need to swim, cycle and run in a Half Ironman triathlon?
If you’ve been looking at triathlon events to join, you’ll have seen some Ironman or Half Ironman events popping up.
A Half Ironman still follows the same structure as any other triathlon distance; swim start, cycle and run to the finish line.
A longer distance again than the Olympic distance, serious training hours are needed to prepare for a Half Ironman.
The total distance for a Half (or middle) Ironman is 70.3miles, which is broken down as:
- Swimming – 1.9km (1.2 miles)
- Cycling – 90km (56 miles)
- Running – 21.1km (13.1 miles)
If you’re looking to work your way up to a Half Ironman, we would suggest first trying out a sprint or Olympic distance race.
What is the average time for a Half Ironman triathlon?
With such a long course there are a lot more factors that will affect average times, particularly age and gender.
A good average for men in the 30-35 age bracket is around 6 hours, for women in the same age bracket 7 hours is a good target to aim for.
How long is a Full Ironman triathlon?
An Ironman is the longest triathlon distance out of the 5 recognised race lengths for the multidisciplinary event.
If you are after a true challenge of your physical and mental fitness and endurance, an Ironman is often seen as the ultimate test by athletes and enthusiasts alike!
If you are looking to take part in a triathlon of any length, you’ll find that races are divided into age groups.
This means that you will be competing alongside other male or female triathletes who fall into the same age band as you, with the exception of triathletes who fall into the separate elite category.
As we’ve mentioned already, a Full Ironman is tough going, so probably a little over-ambitious for a complete beginner, however, if you’ve already got an Olympic or Half Ironman under your belt, a Full Ironman would be a great next challenge for you.
How far do you need to swim, cycle and run in a Full Ironman race?
The Full Ironman (also referred to as the Long Ironman) is the longest event on our list of triathlon distances and is not one for the faint-hearted!
Covering a whopping distance of 140.6 miles, it’s not difficult to see why this event is thought to be the ultimate challenge of physical fitness and endurance.
Here’s how the miles for one of the world’s toughest sporting events can be broken down:
- Swimming – 3.8km (2.4 miles)
- Cycling – 180km (112 miles)
- Running – 42.2km (26.2 miles)
What is the average time for an Ironman triathlon?
An Ironman can take typically between 10 – 17 hours to complete, however, elite triathletes competing at championship levels will be aiming for even more ambitious times.
If we use the 30-35 age bracket as an example, a good average finishing time for men is around 13 hours, and for women an hour more.
If you are looking to take on the elites, the Ironman World Championship men’s record is 7 hours 52 minutes and 39 seconds, held by Patrick Lange.
The women’s record for the same course is 8 hours 26 minutes and 18 seconds, held by Daniela Ryf.